The task of giving bad news goes with almost every job. You may have to inform your customers of a price increase, of a product being out-of stock etc. Employees facing these scenarios worry that the customer might become defensive, offended, or worst of all, simply take their business elsewhere.

How to give such bad news to customers in a diplomatic way ?? Any ideas???

Talk about the TRUST

The best way of making a consumer understand that there is bad news of his FAVORITE brnad is to make him know that HE is primarily responsible for the success! We have to emotionally rule the consumers head and tell him that because of his TRUST is the brand the brand has achieved the success that it has!

I believe the BAD news will be palatable to the consumer after that. Emotion always plays a huge role in understanding the brands behaviour; favorable or otherwise!

Lower your tone

idea posted by
Sudhansu Jena Logistics Manager, Target

Lower your tone when giving a bad news as most people get excited and
tend to raise their pitch when they hear about the bad news. When you're giving bad news you want to give the impression that you are thinking clearly, logically not emotionally and not irrationally.

Lowering the tone surely going to have a impact on how the customer reacts to the bad news, its better than giving bad news using high tone.

Give it straight

idea posted by
Azhar Kazmi Professor, King Fahd University of Petroleum & Minerals

The bad news like price increase can be given straight to the customer along with good reasons why the price increase is there and showing concern for the customer. There is no use packaging the bad news as good news as some companies try to do. The customer is smart enough to understand that she is being duped. Indian customers are generally credited with being discerning as many research studies show so it can be a good policy to be ethical about giving out bad news and giving it out honestly.

Start with Good news

idea posted by
Vijay Sharma Logistics Manager, Reliance retail

When you have a bad news as well as good news. Its better to start with the good news as when customers hear bad news they have an internal stress reaction that causes them to tune-out other information. Giving good news first will ensure that the customer appreciates the full message.

Helping them to find an alternative

idea posted by
Shailena Varma Logistics Manager, Target

When you run out of stock, its obvious that the customer will go your competitor. So its better to recommend your competitor.By helping them find another supplier that is your competitor, the customer associates your service with solving their problem. So, there's a chance that they may return. In other words, you have nothing to lose and something to gain when you recommend a competitor. Besides, it's the decent thing to do.

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